by P. J. Hoover
Jack sat on the table in the room. “No, of course you’re right. But I was waiting there for a long time. And then something happened, and I had to get out of there fast.”
“What do you mean, ‘something happened’?” Benjamin asked. “What could have happened?”
“I mean, someone was coming, someone was trying to get to the keys,” Jack said.
“Who?” Benjamin asked.
“I don’t know,” Jack answered. “All I know is that it was someone evil. Someone was trying to get to the keys and take them, and I wasn’t going to hang around waiting to find out who it was,” Jack said, a definite defensive note creeping into his voice.
“No, I don’t blame you,” Benjamin said. “You did the right thing. In fact, we realized tonight that some guy has been following us around.”
“Really?” Jack asked.
“Yeah, really. The guy who played in the Bangkok Chess Open. It’s the same guy we saw in the hallway the other day.” Benjamin filled Jack in on what they’d put together. “I thought he kidnapped you or something.”
“Well, that would be pretty hard since I’m not a kid,” Jack joked. “But that wasn’t the same presence I picked up on tonight.”
“It wasn’t?” Benjamin asked. “Who else could it be?”
“I don’t know,” Jack said. “Just someone I don’t remember running across before.”
“So, why’d it take you so long to get back?” Benjamin asked.
“I waited in one of my secret hiding spots until I couldn’t sense the evil presence any more,” Jack answered.
“Your secret hiding spots?” Benjamin asked. “Where are they?”
“Well, if I told you, they wouldn’t be secret anymore, now would they?” Jack replied. “Anyway, here you go.” The two keys of Shambhala appeared on the table beside Jack. Benjamin quickly picked them up and looked at them, inspecting them.
“Yeah, they’re the same stones,” Jack said. “They never left my mind.”
“Thanks for holding onto them,” Benjamin said. “Again.”
“It was no problem, but I better go,” Jack said. “I’m so tired I plan to sleep all day tomorrow—or today, that is.”
“Yeah, okay,” Benjamin said, “but don’t sleep too long. We leave on Sunday you know.”
“I know,” Jack said.
“Are you able to visit other places on Earth? You know, like Virginia?” Benjamin asked.
“I’ll take that as an invitation,” Jack replied, then vanished from the room.
Benjamin stared at the spot where the Nogical had been, then again looked at the keys in his hands. He turned them over and over, feeling their smoothness. Where could the third key be? They’d researched the teleportation records again, but found nothing. Could the records be wrong? Could the third key have been teleported out of Shambhala but no flash been recorded? Benjamin didn’t think so; why show the teleportation of the second key but not the third?
How else could the key have been taken from the city? Could it have been tunneled out from below? No, the Geodine should have showed that kind of activity. Maybe someone had teleported the key into their mind and then walked out of the city. Even that should have registered some kind of visible activity.
As Benjamin thought, he realized that he was no longer tired, his mind too busy.
“Okay, let’s think this through logically,” he said to himself. “The key was not teleported out of Shambhala. The key was not walked out of Shambhala. They key was not tunneled out of Shambhala. So, where could the key be?”
And then a light went on in Benjamin’s head. “How about in Shambhala?” he said. “Of course. The third key of Shambhala was never taken from Shambhala. It’s still there. It’s being hidden there. How could I not have realized that? It’s so obvious.”
As the realization dawned on Benjamin, so did the fact that he had no way of getting there. “It may as well be on the moon,” he said. In fact, Benjamin thought, if it was on the moon, he could at least have tried using one of the special exhibit teleporters in the Natural History Museum to get there. But Shambhala! Aside from being the landing spot of the meteorite, he had no idea how to get there. Everything in the library they’d read about the hidden city suggested it may even be deep below ground.
He ran back into the dorm room and commanded the light to turn on. “Wake up you guys!” he called. “The third key’s in Shambhala.”
“Heidi! Iva! Wake up! I know where the third key is!” he thought.
“What are you talking about?” Heidi asked.
“The third key. You guys have to come here quick.” he replied.
“Are you kidding, Benjamin?” Iva asked.
“Yeah, are you kidding, Benjamin?” Andy said, rolling out of bed. “They can’t come here in the middle of the night.”
“Yeah, that is so completely against the rules,” Gary added.
“I don’t care about the rules,” Benjamin said. “Use a teleporter and get here now.”
Iva and Heidi didn’t waste any time. The urgency in Benjamin’s request brought them in less than two minutes, still in their pajamas.
“Those are cute,” Andy said, nodding his head toward Iva’s pink, fluffy slippers.
“I don’t want to hear another word about it,” she replied. “It’s one in the morning. Now tell me, what are we doing here in the middle of the night?”
“Yeah, but tell us quietly,” Heidi added, nodding her head to the room next door. “I don’t want Ryan and Jonathan waking up.”
“I know where the third key of Shambhala is,” Benjamin replied. “We need a plan for how we’re going to get it.”
“Tonight?” Andy asked.
“Look,” Benjamin replied. “This is our last day in Lemuria. If we don’t find it today, we may have to wait a whole year before we get another chance. So yes. Tonight.”
“So where it is?” Iva asked.
“It’s in Shambhala,” Benjamin replied. “It never left the place. That’s why we never saw it leave. Remember the poem we read?
Shambhala is always near
Though hidden beneath our sphere.
The keys will there again appear
And all the world will quake in fear.
“The keys were intended to be reunited in Shambhala,” he finished.
“Of course,” Iva replied. “What better place to hide the third key then not to hide it at all.”
“But Shambhala?” Gary said. “How in the world are we going to get there?”
“Maybe the Geodine will have some idea.” Benjamin quickly pulled out his Geodine. “Show me Shambhala,” he commanded it. It lit up, and the spot in northern Tibet began to glow red. There it was. Shambhala. He could see the location clearly on the Geodine. Shambhala. There was no doubt about the location. Shambhala. He closed his eyes. The image of the glowing Geodine was firm in his mind. Reopening his eyes, the last thing he remembered seeing were his friend’s faces, quickly changing from sleepy to concerned. And then suddenly, Benjamin felt as if he were being pulled from his chair toward the glowing spot on the Geodine.
then you would have done well, right?” Jack said.
Benjamin gave him a confused look, and Jack laughed. “You know, you’d be able to see into the future. Come on,” Jack said snapping his small fingers in Benjamin’s face. “Get with it. That was supposed to be a joke.”
CHAPTER 32
Practicing the Orb Pays Off
Benjamin didn’t have time to react. He turned to look, knowing he wasn’t in the dorms anymore, but having no idea where else he could be. Looking around didn’t help; the rocks and grass could have been anywhere. And then he remembered the Geodine—Shambhala glowing in Tibet. And he knew exactly where he was.
Benjamin didn’t think about the impossibility of teleporting himself around the globe to Shambhala. Now that it had actually happened, it seemed completely and totally feasible. The ability had always been a part of him. And there was proof. He was here.
Benjamin looked around again. Where exactly was here, aside from the general location of Shambhala? There wasn’t a civilized looking thing in sight. He stood at the base of a rocky hill—maybe even a small mountain from the looks of it. And even though the sun was close to dipping below the horizon, there was plenty of light to see by.
“Can you guys hear me?” he asked Heidi in his mind.
“Yes!” Her reply came back immediately. “Where are you? What happened?”
“I’m near Shambhala,” Benjamin answered her. “And I think I teleported myself here.”
“Okay, stay where you are,” she said. “We’re going to get in touch with Jack and send him out after you.”
“I’m fine,” Benjamin replied. “I’m just going to look around a little bit.”
“No! Stay where you are. I’ll contact Jack and get back in touch with you.”
He felt her connection break.
Benjamin started to walk, slowly, circling the hill in a counterclockwise direction. If it was true that the city was underground, there must be some sort of secret entrance or something. He’d just look around for the entrance and then wait for Jack or Heidi to get back in touch with him. He circled the entire hill, looking for a cave or any kind of opening, but found nothing. By the time he reached his starting point, the sun was even lower in the sky—and it was starting to get cold.
Maybe he’d missed something. He started around the hill again, focusing more closely this time. He’d made it about half way around when he noticed the sun reflecting in ripples off a smooth rock wall. Benjamin backed up a few steps and looked at the vertical, brown wall. Nothing strange about it now. So he advanced again, and the strange reflection came back. A couple more steps forward, and the reflection disappeared. He backed up again.
Benjamin walked over and placed both palms on the wall, and, although it looked smooth, when he touched it, he could feel it was actually carved. Benjamin’s heart began to race. He’d found something—something man made. He blinked a couple times, and the fog lifted, showing a sculpture so bright and gold, Benjamin had to squint from the shine.
This had to be the entrance to the hidden city of Shambhala, if only Benjamin could figure out how to open it. With no knobs or buttons, there didn’t seem to be an obvious way to do so.
“Heidi? Are you still there?” he asked in his mind.
Nothing.
“Heidi? Can you hear me? I think I found the entrance. I’m just need to figure out how to open it.”
Still nothing. Maybe she was busy talking with Jack.
Benjamin studied the now completely visible sculpture with all its strange and bizarre carvings. Some looked like masks he had seen in the Natural History Museum in Mu. Some looked like mutated animals. But one caught his eye in particular—three hearts intertwined; he’d seen the image somewhere before, but had no idea where.
At the top of the relief was a sphere, slowly rotating in place. The colors of the sphere changed, cycling through the rainbow, constantly moving. As the colors came into focus and changed, Benjamin realized what the sphere reminded him of. The Kinetic Orb. A spherical puzzle just like the one Joey Duncan had given him except larger.
Could this be a game—some sort of key mechanism which required the game to be solved to open the door? Benjamin thought of his own Orb as he watched the colors of the one on the door. His own Kinetic Orb contained only six phases, but this one seemed to cycle through sixteen. Not a problem. Each one could be solved in turn and then saved.
Benjamin began working the puzzle. As he did so, he realized that aside from the increased number of phases, this orb was exactly the same as his own. He would be able to solve it and open the door. He decided to use Gary’s technique—solve each phase separately, rather than storing the center pieces of each. Quickly he finished the first phase, the red one, and was halfway through the blue phase, when the red phase dissipated, merging back into the other fifteen colors.
What had gone wrong? Benjamin figured he must have accidentally touched the red phase. Starting again, he quickly reworked the first phase, moving on to the second. Yet, exactly as before, the red phase dissipated when he was nearly complete with the blue.
The sun lowered in the sky, and Benjamin felt panic begin to rise. Why couldn’t he solve the Orb? It was a simple puzzle. Simple for him at least. He’d mastered it this summer. Yet no matter what he tried, nothing seemed to work.
And then he understood. He remembered Joey Duncan’s words. “The trick is not only to solve all the phases, but learn to do it with your eyes closed.” He knew what he needed to do.
Okay, back to the beginning—again. He studied the Orb long and hard, then slowly closed his eyes. Benjamin began working the phases, starting with the red, then moving on to the blue. He could feel in his mind the completed phases remaining intact. He didn’t open his eyes, instead working the puzzle inside his mind. His telekinetic pathways became a direct extension of his brain, leaving his eyes superfluous.
Benjamin worked steadily and confidently. He knew the finished phases were remaining where they should. He could feel it. He could also feel the unfinished pieces jumping around on the sphere, changing position randomly. In his mind he could see the color of the pieces without having to look. This must be like the way Heidi used telepathy to know the colors of the Orb.
Without a doubt in his mind, Benjamin completed the final phase, hearing an audible click as a golden piece completed the puzzle. Benjamin flicked his eyes open. The entire sphere expanded, causing Benjamin to jump back, before shrinking to almost nothing and sinking deep into the bas-relief. The massive sculpture slid to the left, and vanished into the surrounding rocks.
Benjamin looked around, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was just the fact that being in the middle of Tibet with no one else around felt a little vulnerable. And why hadn’t Heidi gotten back in touch with him? Glancing around, nothing looked suspicious, so he shrugged and walked inside. As soon as he was through, the door closed behind him. He jumped, making sure he was out of its way. The Kinetic Orb scrambled and expanded back out through the bas-relief.
Benjamin found himself in a dimly lit tunnel carved out of the natural rock and lit with torches set into the walls. There was only one way to go—forward—so Benjamin set out walking.
After what felt like a mile, Benjamin came to the bottom of the sloped path. The tunnel continued on, but changed dramatically. Whereas the tunnel behind him had been roughly plowed through the rock, the tunnel in front of him was smooth, rounded, and detailed. Columns set against the walls were cut and elaborate. The ceiling was taller. Even the holders for the wall torches were now made of detailed metalwork. But weirdest of all, the whole place felt oddly familiar to Benjamin.
Benjamin covered the distance in little time, approaching two large arched doors, made of stone, with heavy hinges on either side. He pushed on the doors, testing their weight, and to his surprise, they swung open without making a sound. A circular room lay in front of Benjamin, its flat ceiling held up by a circle of columns. Benjamin walked into the room, and the doors swung shut. He didn’t turn, but instead walked straight toward the center of the room where a rounded pedestal stood.
The top of the pedestal was flat except for two indentations matching the shapes of the first two keys of Shambhala. Benjamin reached into his pockets and emptied their contents. He set the toy police car on the edge of the pedestal and held the two keys, one in each hand. He placed the first key into the notch on the right. It fit perfectly, and immediately clicked into place. Benjamin felt his heart speed up; he knew he’d find the third key any minute now. He took the second key and placed it into the notch on the left. Again, it fit perfectly and clicked into place.
As soon as it clicked, the entire top of the pedestal started to move downward, including the keys. As the top sank down, a new area of the pedestal rose upward, directly in the center. The area had looked solid, but from the center rose a third key, matchin
g the first two exactly in size and color. The pedestal clicked to a stop, all three keys now visible.
“Finally,” a voice to the right of Benjamin said. “I have been waiting for thirteen years for you to get those keys together.”
Benjamin turned in the direction of the voice. A familiar figure stepped out from behind one of the columns. “Mr. Burton? Is that you?” Benjamin asked. Why in the world was his science teacher in Shambhala?
Mr. Burton walked ever so slowly toward Benjamin. “Yes, it’s me,” he said.
“But what are you doing here?” Benjamin asked. “How did you get here?”
“Oh, getting here is no problem. Being an agent for Lemuria, I have many special teleporter access levels,” Mr. Burton replied with a smile. “As for what I’m doing here, that’s quite simple. My entire life has been devoted to keeping you safe.”
“Devoted to keeping me safe?” Benjamin said. “Are you kidding?”
Mr. Burton laughed. “It does sound kind of far fetched, doesn’t it? But, it’s true. My entire purpose for being an agent of Lemuria is to protect you.”
That didn’t make any sense. Benjamin had never felt like he needed protection. “But why?” he asked.
“You’re a very important person, Benjamin Holt,” Mr. Burton said.
“I am?” Benjamin asked, looking down at himself. “Why?”
“Because you were destined to find these three keys and bring them together, and, with their power, raise the continents and bring down the power shields around Atlantis and Lemuria,” Mr. Burton explained.
“Bring down the power shields!” Benjamin exclaimed. “And that’s a good thing?”
“The age of the shields is behind us, Benjamin. It is time for the telegens to again live with the humans of Earth. It’s time for a new age of mankind. I thought the Emerald Tablet explained that to you.”
“How do you know about the Emerald Tablet?” Benjamin asked.
“I have my ways, Benjamin,” Mr. Burton answered. “I take my role as your protector very seriously. You shouldn’t be wandering around in the bowels of the Ruling Hall alone.”
